


Rooftops

by 11JJ11



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Idiots in Love, Mentioned Gabriel Agreste, Mentioned Lila Rossi, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Secret Identity, ladrien, no plans on continuing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:55:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/11JJ11/pseuds/11JJ11
Summary: Ladybug always came up with crazy plans, Adrien knew that, but her plan to stop him from being forced to date Lila Rossi was one of the more far out there ones. And his favorite one ever.
Relationships: Ladybug/Adrien
Comments: 24
Kudos: 234





	Rooftops

**Author's Note:**

> So this was a fic I started a while back but deleted when I decided I didn't want to continue. It's been sitting in my WIPs ever since, and I figured I might as well upload the first chapter again since I liked what I had written.

Adrien’s eyes were burning as he stormed down the street, rapidly blinking away any forming tears. He was fine. He was fine.  _ He was fine.  _ His hands were stuffed into his jacket pockets, clenched into fists as he rushed down the sidewalk. The few people that were out this late barely paid him any heed, neither not recognizing who he was or respecting his space. He didn’t want to be recognized, but yet he found a part of him hoping it was the latter.

Any form of courtesy would be welcomed right now.

“Kid,” a voice whispered from the hood of his jacket. “Gorilla is coming down this street.”

Adrien didn’t reply, but slipped into the nearest alleyway. He had nothing against the Gorilla, at times it seemed he was the one that spared him more than a glance, but he knew that the man had a job– and right now that was taking him back to the mansion. He took in a sharp breath as he saw a familiar limo drive down the street, moving slowly, looking carefully into the windows of each shop, and staring into the shadows for any signs of movement.

He stiffened up as the vehicle came to a stop right outside of the alley he was hiding in, the window rolling down. It was dark outside, but he knew that the man could still see him, eyes locked right on him. Boy and bodyguard stared at each other for a minute, neither moving.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the Gorilla rolled up the window, and continued down the streets, eyes searching for the boy he had already found. Adrien let out a sigh of relief, leaning up against a brick wall, and Plagg zipped out of his hood.

“I knew he was the only decent one,” Plagg said with a sneer.

Adrien closed his eyes. “I’m not going home. Not tonight.”

“Don’t blame ya, kid,” Plagg replied, green eyes turning towards him. “I have an even better idea– let’s not go back there at all! Everyone at that house was annoying anyways.”

Adrien turned, heading farther into the alleyway. He eyed the rooftops above, it would be so easy to get up there as Chat Noir, and if he were to transform no one would be able to find Adrien Agreste. But he didn’t want to transform at the moment, because he didn’t want to be alone. He’d rather have Plagg right at his side than in the ring.

The kwami hovered in front of his face as he climbed up onto a dumpster, trying to reach for the edge of the roof. It took him a few times, but on the third jump he was able to catch the edge with his fingers. With a grunt of effort he hoisted himself up, and he knew it was only because of the strength he had built up with his superhero-ing, and perhaps growing up with a rock climbing wall in his room.

“Now what?” Plagg asked as Adrien settled down near a chimney, leaning his back against the brick. “I hope you don’t plan running across rooftops when you’re not suited up.”

“I won’t,” Adrien said softly, closing his eyes. “I just… need to think. I just don’t understand why he’d try to control my life like that.”

“Um,” Plagg looked at him in disbelief. “Because he always does?”

He shook his head. “No, Father was just always over protective before, but never controlling.”

The kwami took in a sharp breath. “Kid, I don’t hate to break it to be– but yes he was. Your father controls every aspect of your life– down to just even hanging out like a regular teenager! Maybe this is surprising to you, but I’m honestly surprised he hasn’t stepped into your dating life sooner.”

“Lila,” Adrien said, shaking. “Why– why her? Why does he think that I’ll just– just go along with it!”

Plagg snorted. “Because you always do. Fortunately I have instilled in you some of my wisdom by now, and you were able to employ it tonight to stand up for yourself.”

“I just– I just don’t know what to do now,” Adrien muttered. “Should I–“

Plagg cut him off by suddenly diving into his jacket pocket, the same thing he always did when someone was approaching. But they were on the roofs right now, hidden in the shadows, the only person able to reach him up here would be–

“Are you okay, Adrien?”

His heart skipped a beat at her voice, and for a moment he wondered if he was imagining it, because there was no way his luck would allow him to see the person he wanted to see the most right now. He twisted around, head craning up to see a spotted figure perched on the chimney, looking down at him with concern in her blue eyes.

“L-ladybug?” He stuttered out, and she gave a small smile.

“In the flesh,” she replied, jumping over Adrien and landing right in front of him. He just stared at her for a moment, not sure of what to say as she smiled. “Is everything okay, it’s not everyday you find a civilian on the rooftops.”

His words died in his throat, several things trying to escape his mouth at once. He had to first remind himself that he was a civilian, and that he couldn’t say ‘My Lady’ to her, and along those same lines he couldn’t just spill out everything that was on his mind because unlike when he was Chat, Adrien wasn’t Ladybug’s friend.

“Just a horrible day,” he finally settled for, drawing his knees up as he was reminded of just what had driven him to run off in the first place.

He expected Ladybug to ask something along the lines of if he had seen an akuma or if he thought he was upset enough for one to come, but instead she sat down on the roof right across from him. His heart stopped at the raw concern filling her gaze, and for a moment she reached out with a hand, before pulling it back. 

It took everything he had not to reach out and take it, and he was now regretting not transforming. If he had known Ladybug was out he would have sought her as Chat right away, knowing that she would listen to his worries without hesitation. She would comfort him and offer the support he needed, but right now he was just another civilian.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ladybug offered. “I’m willing to listen, if that will help.”

Or of course Ladybug could prove to him once again how amazing she was, willing to help a stranger just because she could. He gave her a small smile, and he was startled to feel tears stinging his eyes. He took in a shaky breath, wanting to talk to her so badly, and with the offer there he knew that he couldn’t keep himself silent.

And one thing about talking to her as Adrien rather than Chat Noir meant that he could tell her  _ everything. _ Words wouldn’t have to be coded, names hidden, or things omitted just to hide identities. He could just be Adrien Agreste right now, dealing with Adrien Agreste problems that she could know about.

“If you aren’t busy right now,” he whispered. “I think that would help.”

She smiled softly, placing a hand on his knee in a manner he knew meant ‘okay’. He took in a deep breath, wondering where to begin. His thoughts churned in his head, but as soon as he started speaking everything came out at once– because there wasn’t anyone he trusted more than Ladybug.

“It’s– it’s my father,” he said, eyes darting towards her, and she didn’t look surprised in the slightest. “He… he wants to improve my ‘public image’, so he decided that I should… start dating.”

“…Is that something you don’t want to do?”

“No! I mean– yes! I mean–“ He dug his hands into his hair. “I… I do want to date… someone. I have for a long time now, b-but they’re not interested, and even if they were Father wants me to date someone of  _ his _ choosing,” he closed his eyes. “Lila. He wants me to date _ Lila. _ She’s this liar in my class and– and– and what am I even saying, you know what she’s like!”

“He wants to choose who you date?” Ladybug said, and he jerked his head up, startled at the venom in her voice. “And he wants you to date _Lila Rossi?”_

“He s-says it would be good for my image,” he whispered, and he felt tears running down his cheeks. He was crying in front of Ladybug– he needed to stop– he didn’t want to cry in front of her. “He didn’t even care about what I wanted. I don’t even like being around her, she’s always touching me and if we were to be ‘dating’ I don’t know what I would do!”

Ladybug swallowed. “Is he forcing you to model with her too?”

He was surprised by that– Ladybug knew who he was currently modeling with? Sure his pictures were plastered over the city, but most people didn’t pay much attention to that beyond the ads themselves.

“Actually… I made a deal with her,” he said softly. He was sure if he said no to modeling with Lila his father would have something to say, but as of now he was doing it willingly.

“A deal?” She said with a frown.

“Lila got a good friend of mine, Marinette, expelled,” Adrien spat. It wasn’t often he could express his feelings about the liar when he was usually surrounded by people that worshiped her, but at least Ladybug knew the truth about her. “I told her to find a way to get Marinette back in school, and then we could be ‘friends’. As long as she leaves Mari alone I can put up with modeling with her.”

Ladybug grabbed his hand, and he looked up at her in surprise, heart pounding. He felt dizzy as he looked into her blue eyes, startled at the tenderness he was seeing. It took everything he had not to bring her into a hug, reminding himself that he wasn’t Chat right now, he was a stranger. But when he saw her eyes watering he knew he couldn’t just sit there– but before he could do a thing Ladybug had thrown her arms around him, pulling him into a hug herself.

“You’re too sweet, Adrien,” Ladybug whispered softly in his ear, and he was surprised that he didn’t melt into a puddle right there. He returned the embrace, holding her close. Perhaps he was a stranger, but she was a friend to him, and she was providing a comfort she didn’t know how much he needed. For a moment he wondered if he had somehow transformed into Chat, because she was holding him with no hesitation.

And here she was calling him sweet. Didn’t this girl realize how amazing she was?

“Am I?” He asked softly, a small scoff in his voice. “I’m the one that told Marinette not to do anything about Lila. I didn’t think she’d do more than tell harmless lies– and here she has hurt Marinette in so many ways because I said to keep quiet, and now she has to watch all her friends believe her lies… it’s honestly no surprise I’m being caught up in Lila’s web now, I deserve it.”

Ladybug pulled back, putting her hands on his. “No Adrien, you don’t. You didn’t realize what this would spiral into, you were just trying to be a good person. I don’t– I  _ know _ Marinette doesn’t hold anything against you. Especially when you’ve done so much for her, and if anyone says otherwise they don’t realize what kind of person you are.”

How did she do this? Make him feel so happy and light even when his life was crumbling down around him?

“Thank you, Ladybug,” he said softly as she pulled back, looking at her fondly, and she looked away. His heart jumped– he hadn’t made her feel uncomfortable, right? He hadn’t made this weird? “F-for listening, and everything else. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I feel a lot better somehow.”

“I… I know your father has a reputation,” she said slowly. “But surely he won’t force _ force _ you if he realizes how much to hate Lila? I mean, if you tell him how she really makes you feel won’t he at least… listen? F-find someone else? He’s your father and… and if he’s going to force you to be with someone then at least… someone you get along with? Like that Kagami girl…?”

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself, and he just shook his head sadly.

“He wants Lila because of the tabloids…” he whispered. “Rumors have been flying, Lila’s done nothing but encourage them, and reporters keep snooping. Coming out with us in a relationship will not only put me in the spotlight, which is good for sales, it will make it so the reporters take the story presented to them instead of trying to dig one up.”

He felt Plagg nudging him. Hard.

He took in a sharp breath, and even though he now knew it was true he didn’t want to admit it. “And… and Father doesn’t care how I feel,” he whispered after a moment, tears in his eyes. “He just cares that I obey.”

It hurt. It hurt so much to say that.

“There has to be something we can do,” Ladybug said, that look of determination in her eyes that she so often got when facing an akuma. He could see the gears turning in her head, trying to find a solution. “I just can’t let him do that to you.”

“You have more important things to worry about than me, Ladybug.”

“You’re important!” Ladybug said fervently, looking at him sharply. “Your happiness is just as important as anything else– and don’t you forget it.”

He could kiss her right now.

Instead he just sat there, basically gawking since he didn’t know what to say. She was in full on planning-mode, muttering under her breath as she went through various possibilities. It was a sight he often saw when he was Chat Noir, the two of them preparing to attack an akuma. But to see her doing the same to help him– not Chat– but  _ him,  _ was something else.

“Obviously no announcement has been made of you yet dating anyone, I would have heard of it,” she muttered. “And if your father isn’t going to budge then the logical conclusion would be for something else to reach headlines first– so then you dating Lila would be a conflict he wouldn’t want to bring to your family’s name into.”

“Um– huh?” He asked. “I mean, y-yeah, that could get him to back off, but just what would it be? And how would we even get something out there before them?”

There was a gleam in Ladybug’s eyes, the same look she got when she knew how to use her Lucky Charm to win the fight. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? You got to be seen with someone other than Lila before any announcement of you being in a relationship is made.”

“H-huh?”

“Sure, it isn’t  _ ideal,” _ Ladybug said, crossing her arms. “Ideal would be your father respecting your decision and just respecting you in general. But if he’s going to force you to be in a relationship with Lila then we just need to beat him to it and make it clear you’re with someone else.”

“Like who?” He stuttered out. “The… girl I like isn’t interested, and I’m not really looking for a relationship otherwise–“

“It will have to be faked then,” Ladybug said, as if this were the simplest solution ever. “You’ll need to find someone willing to play the role, so that way you won’t be forced to be with Lila. If it seems like you’re in another relationship I’m sure your dad will back off with Lila, as he wouldn’t want the Agreste name to be soiled with the idea that you could be cheating.”

Adrien knew that was very true.

“And you’re, well, Adrien Agreste, so if you move quickly enough I’m sure some fan page or tabloid will pick up on it and it will be across social media in minutes, like that time you sneaked out to go see that movie.”

He flushed. “Y-you saw that?”

She eyed him for a moment. “I had to save you from an akuma that day?”

“Oh yeah, right,” he said quickly. Sure he was famous to say the least, but he shouldn’t expect that Ladybug kept up with him online.

“So yeah, if you move quickly enough I’m sure it wouldn’t be too hard to get a post of you being with someone to blow up,” Ladybug said. “But you’d probably want something before tomorrow… and it is pretty late. You’d have to find someone willing to k-kiss you or something… and…”

Ladybug flushed red, as if realizing what she was saying. She looked adorable, and he couldn’t help but smirk slightly– his inner Chat Noir coming out before he could stop it.

“You want to volunteer?” Adrien asked with a grin, leaning towards her– and Ladybug let out a yelp.

It was a side of her he hadn’t really seen before– her small blush suddenly covering her entire face, the bright red clashing with her suit. She jumped back, blue eyes wide with panic, staring right at him like he had fallen from the sky.

_ Idiot. Idiot. Idiot! _ He thought, mentally face palming. Why would he say that to her– why on earth would he say that to her? Here she was trying to help him, and he goes and makes her uncomfortable! He was  _ not _ Chat right now! Ladybug had made it clear she was fine with Chat making silly flirtatious remarks, but Adrien had not been given such permission!

He could feel Plagg silently laughing in his pocket.

“I’m sorry!” Adrien blurted out. “Oh my gosh, Ladybug I’m sorry!” He started to move towards her, but he didn’t know if that would make it worse. “I was just teasing– I wasn’t thinking about what I was saying– I’m so sorry that was out of line! Please forgive me!”

_ Please don’t hate civilian-me! _

“It’s o-okay Adrien,” Ladybug said, and he felt horrible when he heard the waver in her voice. “You j-just startled me, th-that’s all.”

“I’m so sorry!” He said again, voice almost begging. “I shouldn’t have said that, I’m so sorry, Ladybug, I’m–”

Her arms grabbed his shoulders. “Adrien, it’s okay,” she said again, her voice much steadier. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Actually, I do want to kiss you–”

She stiffened up as she realized what she had said, slapping a hand over her mouth. Her face flushed bright red once more as she pulled back, eyes wide, and a small whimper escaped his throat.

Did Ladybug just say she wanted to kiss him?

“Oh my kwami!” She gave a muffled yelp, hand still covering her mouth. “I did not just say that out loud, please don’t tell me I said that out loud–!”

“You said that out loud,” Adrien muttered, in a daze, barely believing what he had heard. Ladybug had just said she wanted to kiss him. _ Ladybug _ wanted to kiss  _ him. _

_ “I’m sorry!”  _ She cried, almost as desperately as he had. “Oh my gosh, Adrien, you probably think I’m some creep! A crazy obsessed fan! I mean I am kinda a fan, but also because you’re just such a nice and generous person and– and I’m going to stop talking right now! Someone please Cataclysm me.”

If this was a dream, please don’t wake him up.

He was snapped out of his trance when he saw how embarrassed Ladybug looked, curling up slightly and still bright red. It was adorable, he would be lying if he said otherwise, but he didn’t want her to feel that way. He hesitated for a moment, before touching her knee.

“H-hey,” he said carefully, not sure of how to reassure her, but he had to say something. “It’s okay, really. I want to kiss you too.”

…What did he just say?

He felt a blush of his own climbing his face, and the two of them stared at each other. There was something in the ai– and it was pure awkwardness. The two of them just continued staring, each becoming redder as they sat on the roof. Several times they opened their mouths to talk, before falling back into a flustered and blushing mess.

Not surprisingly to Adrien, it was Ladybug who got her composure first.

“If… if you want to do this, I’d be ha-happy to help you,” she stuttered out. “I mean L-ladybug kissing Adrien Agreste would definitely catch people’s attention, and…”

“Do you want to kiss me?” Adrien asked– because there was no way he was doing this unless his Lady was 100% on board. She looked at him, blush clashing with her mask, and she gave a small nod. He pushed himself closer to her. “And playing the role of fake girlfriend, as  _ Ladybug _ , are you okay with that too?”

He knew she always tried to keep her masked persona professional, and he wanted to respect that, but still his heart sank a little as he saw her hesitate at this. She bit her lip, considering the words, before looking at him again.

“This… this would be better outside of my mask,” she concluded after a moment. “But I don’t think that is an option we honestly have,” she sat up a little. “Besides, I am supposed to be a hero– and protecting you from Lila definitely falls into that category. She’s up there on the threat list, right next to Hawk Moth.”

Adrien stiffened a laugh. “What about Mayura?”

Ladybug smirked slightly. “She gets a pass, at least her outfit is fashionable. Hawk Moth on the other hand… I think he walked out of an off-brand Halloween store when creating his akumas.”

This time Adrien couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Very true! I’m pretty sure my father dies a little inside each time he sees the ‘style’ of Hawk Moth!”

His smile faded slightly when his thoughts turned to his father, who had put him into this situation in the first place. He was demanding something of him that he knew would make him uncomfortable and unhappy. He looked at Ladybug once more, who smiled, holding out her hand.

“So, do you accept me as your fake girlfriend then?” She asked, a playful smirk on her face, and he was surprised that he didn’t faint on the spot.

“Y-yes, My L– er– yes, that sounds great,” he swiftly tried to cover up the slip up, hoping that Ladybug didn’t notice. She paused, frowning slightly.

“Chat,” she whispered– and he froze up. Had he just given away his identity? The one thing he was supposed to keep hidden? He looked at her fearfully, though she was looking away.

“I–“

“Chat,” she repeated. “I don’t want to hurt Chat Noir. He… he has feelings for me. I mean, all of Paris knows that, but… I don’t want to hurt him.”

He honestly wasn’t sure how to respond. “I– er– I’m sure it means a lot to him that you’re considering his feelings?”

“He’s my best friend,” she replied, and he blushed. “And, well, the idea of me and him… it isn’t an unpleasant one. There’s just… someone else. He knows that, but if we’re going to do this it could really hurt him if it just comes out of the blue.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” Adrien said firmly. “And also– say if this were going to be something serious– I don’t think you should let someone else’s feelings hold you back. You said there was someone else, and if you ever got the opportunity to be with them… well, with him as your friend I don’t think Chat would want you to even hesitate. He’d want you to be happy.”

Ladybug smiled. “You’re sweet Adrien. So is Chat,” she looked up at the scattered stars starting to appear in the sky. “But I’m definitely going to tell him that this is just for appearances. We have to keep so many things from each other as it is, I couldn’t bring myself to lie to him more than I have to.”

It did hurt, knowing that there were lies in his relationship with Ladybug, but it was a reality he already knew well. He had lied to her as well, and in a way he was lying to her now. He hesitated, wondering if she would be upset knowing that he was Chat, and he wasn’t saying a thing as they discussed the idea of kissing, of fake dating.

_ Fake _ dating. He was not entering a real relationship under any false guise, and she was offering to do so. She was doing this to help him, as the good person she was… and she said she wanted to kiss him. Ladybug wanted to kiss  _ him! _

He considered the idea just a bit more, before deciding that this was in no way hurting Ladybug. This idea was one she had put out there herself, and one she was on board with doing to help him. Who knew how long this would even last– perhaps just a week or so to get his father to back off.

Father. He was actively going against what his father wanted– that alone was a thrill in itself.

“Adrien?”

He snapped himself out of his thoughts. “I see nothing wrong with that. Chat Noir is your partner, whatever you need to tell him you can.”

She smiled. “So, you want to do this?”

“Yes!” He blurted out, perhaps a bit too eagerly, but to his relief she chuckled. “I, um, mean– how are we going to do this?”

Her smile turned into a grin– a Ladybug-has-an-idea grin. She pushed herself to her feet, before offering him her hand. The world seemed to stop in that moment, as he slowly reached out towards her, and she pulled him close to her. His fading blush flared up once more as she put an arm around his waist, drawing her yoyo.

He could see a lingering blush on her cheeks, visible under her mask. “W-well, we need to do something before tomorrow and before your father can force you to be with Lila, so we need someone that’s willing to spread any story, and I know just the person.”

“Who?”

She threw her yoyo, and with a tug on the string they were pulled into the air. His arms tightened around her as they flew across the street, feeling vulnerable without his suit or baton, yet still safe in her arms.

“You’ll see,” she replied as they landed on another roof, before taking off running, her holding him bridal style.

* * *

“Alya?” Adrien said, staring at the apartment of his friend across the street.

He and Ladybug were standing on the roof of another apartment, looking out towards the window of Alya’s room, the light still on. He couldn’t see in clearly, nor was he trying to. He glanced at Ladybug, who was fiddling with her yoyo.

“The Ladyblogger is a perfect choice,” she replied. “She goes crazy for anything Ladybug, and if she saw me kissing someone right outside her window she would go crazy. She’d post the pictures to the Ladyblog without second thought as it’s so late, and her blog is so popular it will be across social media by morning.”

Well, she wasn’t wrong about that, he knew how dedicated Alya was to her blog. And how his fans were to him.

“How are you going to get her attention, without, you know, directly getting her attention?” He asked slowly.

She grinned, holding up her yoyo. “Watch and learn, pretty boy.”

_ Ladybug thought he was pretty! _

She threw her yoyo right at Alya’s window, and his eyes widened, thinking she was going to hit and shatter it. He shouldn't have doubted her though, because as he flinched the end of the yoyo stopped inches from the window, being smoothly retracted back into her hand.

Like magic Alya appeared at her window, throwing it open and peering about, eyes sharply scanning the roof lines. She even pulled herself out a ways, peering up directly above her. Ladybug was shaking silently with laughter, pulling Adrien down closer to their roof.

“I swear she can hear the zip of my yoyo a mile away in a thunderstorm,” she said, her arm wrapping around Adrien’s waist once more. “Ready?”

“R-ready,” he said, and with a grin Ladybug jumped off of the roof.

Her yoyo caught hold of a pole on the roof they had just jumped off of, instantly going taut as they fell. They were left dangling halfway down the side of the building, right at Alya’s window level. Ladybug had one arm pulled above her head, hand tangled in her yoyo’s wire, which was supporting them. The other arm was firmly around his waist, holding him flush against her. His limbs were wrapped around her to keep him stable, and their faces were only inches apart. Out of the corner of his eye he could see that Alya had spotted them, but his gaze was all on Ladybug.

“Well?” She asked softly. “Are you going to kiss me, my prince?”

That was all he needed to hear, his hands cupping her face, pulling her into a kiss. There was no hesitation from Ladybug as their lips met, leaning into his embrace. He felt his heart racing, the moment being everything he had ever imagined it to be. Her lips were warm and soft, and her kiss was so gentle.

They broke apart for only a moment, taking in deep breaths, before leaning in close once more. They only needed to linger for a moment, long enough for Alya to get her pictures– but it seemed that neither wanted the moment to end.


End file.
